Situating Qualitative Methods in Psychological Science

<p>Although qualitative approaches to psychological research have a long history in the discipline, they have also been, and remain, marginalized from the canon of mainstream scientific psychology. At the current moment, however, there is growing recognition of the importance of qualitative methods and a movement toward a more inclusive and eclectic stance on psychological research. This volume reflects upon the historical and contemporary place of qualitative methods in psychology and considers future possibilities for further integration of these methods in the discipline. Scholars representing a wide-range of perspectives in qualitative and theoretical psychology reflect on the historical and contemporary positions of qualitative methods in psychology with an eye to the future of research and theory in the discipline. This book encourages a more critical and inclusive stance on research, recognizing both the limits and contributions that different methodological approaches can make to the project of psychological knowledge.</p> <p>1. Some Historical Perspective on the Marginalization of Qualitative Methods Within Mainstream Scientific Psychology <i>James T. Lamiell </i>2. Quantitative, Qualitative, or Mixed? Should Philosophy Guide Method Choice? <i>Kathleen L. Slaney and Donna Tafreshi </i>3. Qualitative Methods as Fundamental Tools: Autonomy and Integration in Mixed Methods Research <i>Frederick J. Wertz </i>4. Qualitative Psychology and the New Pluralism <i>Kenneth J. Gergen </i>5. Qualitative Methods Enhance Our Understanding and Treatment of People with Alzheimer’s Disease <i>Steven R. Sabat </i>6. Understanding Psychology, Differently <i>Brian Schiff </i>7. Qualitative Psychology’s Coming of Age: Are There Grounds for Hope? <i>Mark Freeman</i></p>